Canning apparatus.



No. 398,002', PATBNTED SEPT. a, 1908.

LMORE @E D. ANDEREGG. CANNING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1907- W. F. PI

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No. 898,002. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 908. W. P. PILLMORE n D. ANDEREGG.

GANNING APPARATUS.

APPLIoATloN FILED JULY 5,4901.

J TTG/macys UNITED s'rnrns PrirnN'r opinion.'

WILLIAM F. PILLMORE AND DAVID ANDEREGG, OF WESTERNVILLE, kNEW YORK.

CANNING eprARATUs.

Specication o Letters Patent.

Patented sept. s, 190s.

Application filed .l'nly,l5, 1907. Serial No. 382,277.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILL'IAM F. PILL- MORE and DAVID ANDEREGG, citizens of the United States, residing at Westernville, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Canning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to apparatus for processing canned goods, and has for its principal object to provide means for agitating thecontents of the can in such manner that the entire contents may be subjected to the action of heat for practically thesame period of time.

In the preparation of canned vegetables, taking cornfor an example, it is usual after the cans are sealed to subject them to a temperature of about 250O Fahrenheit for a period of about sixty-iive minutes. If the cans -are allowed to remain stationary the corn which lies next to the tin is subjected to the high temperature for such a long period of time that the proteids are disintegrated and sulfur is set free. Y This sulfur unites with the hydrogen which is liberated by the action ofthe soldering ilux on the metal, tin or lead in the Solder and body of the cans. This forms sulfureted hydrogen HZS and the metallic salts held in slution in theran are precipitated so that the corn becomes discolored. Inasmuch as the corn is a poor conductor of heat the contents of the central portion of the cando not become heated until long after the operation is started 'and the cooking or sterilization is incomplete at the center, while .at the outer edge the cooking process continues'for a much greater length of time than 'is necessar)T and results in damage to the corn through loss of iiavor and the discoloration mentioned.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means for thoroughly agitating the cans, so that the contents thereof will be exposed to uniform temj'werature throughout and for practically the ane period of time, so that the cooking or sterilization may be made lthorough and complete in a much shorter period of time than is possible under resent conditions.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a novel form of apparatus for agitating the cans. l

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of retort and means for quickly feeding the cans thereto and removing them therefrom.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings 2-Figure l is a sectional elevation illustrating a retort j and can agitating means constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view` of' the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of rthe structure, partly tilted, and showing the manner of removing the cans. Fig. 4 isa detail sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig. l.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The retort l() is. preferably of rectangular form and is carried by projecting end bearings 11 mounted in suitable standards 12 so that the retort may be tipped to an angular posit-ion for the purpose of facilitating loading and unloading.

Arranged witin the retort are a number of superposed shelves 16 which are hung by links 17 from carrying rods 18 arranged near the top of the retort, so that the shelves are free for slight swinging or longitudinal play. The shelves are each provided with vertically disposed partitions 2() spaced from each other, a distance slightly greater than the length of the cans, the partitions being of a height about equal to half the diameter of the can and being slightly tapered in thickness so that the ends of the cans may slightly bulge during the cooking operation.

Extending through the retort and its bearings is a shaft 22 which carries two disks 23 and 23 that are arranged at the ends of the shelves and the disk 23 is provided with a plurality of inwardly facing cams 24 arranged in stepped relation and disposed at diiferent radial distances from the center of the shaft.V

The cams engage the shelves in successive orlder, each cam pushing the shelf endwise until it engages against the disk 23 at the opposite end, so that the shelf is thus temporarily clamped between a cam at one end and a disk face'at the opposite end.

One end of the' shaft is connected to one end of a rod 26, the other end of which carries an eccentiic strap 26 which surrounds an eccentric 7, and the eccentric moves the shaft in. the direction of its length, this movement being' transmitted to the disks 23 and 23', and thence to the shelves, so that the iso shelf'clamped between the cams 24 of disk 23 and the plain. disk 23 is moved to and fro, independent of the remaining shelves, so as to agitate the contentsof the cans and eX* .pose all of the contents to the action of heat.

The shaft 22 .has a swiveled connection with rod 26 which permits its free rotative movement Without interfering with the longitudinal play, and on the shaft is secured a ratchet wheel 20 with which4 engages a pawl 31 carried by alever-SS that is pivoted on a pin 42 ona stationary portion of the frame. 'lhe outer end of the lever is arranged to. be engaged by a pin 32 that projects from the eccentric 27, and each time the latter i's -rotated, the lever will-actuate the -paWl andthe latter will movel the gear 30 to the extent of the throw ofr'the pin 32, the step by step movement of the shaft causingthe cams to engage the successive shelves and to remain in' engagement therewith between the movements, although the shaft may be continuously revolved, if desired. y

' assist in deflectin t is a can guide 39 whic The sides of the shelves terminate short of one side ofthe retort, the distance between the sides of the shelves and the side wall of the retort being somewhat less than twice the diameter of a can, and the distance between 'superposed shelves bein@r slightly greater than the diameter'of thez': can. Pivoted to the side wall of the retort isa deflecting plate 36 which is normally placed such position as to guide cans on to the shelf next to the lowermost. arranged a series of rojectionsA or cams 37 to e cans on to the shelves. At the to of t e retort is a loading opening 38a, an' dependingl from one wall thereof operates, in conjunction with the adjacent wall of the retort, to direct the cans to the l-interior of the retort and onto the shelves 1 The loading operationis clearly shown in Iiig. 3, Where it will be seen that the cans gradually Work down into the space between the sidesof the shelf and the side walls Above this deflecting plateis' lopposite ends of the shelf,

ed, the number of tions thereof Will beexposed to practically the same temperature for approximately the same period of time.

Ve claim 1. In' apparatus of the class described, a normally free can support, and a pair of constantly movable shaking members between which said support is intermittently clamped.`

2; In apparatus of the class described, a

normally free vcan support, a constantly'operated shaking means, and mechanism for intermittently connecting said supportto said shaking means. l

3. In combination, a can support, ashak-n ing means therefor, .and mechanism foralternately connecting and disconnecting the shaking means and support.

4. In combination, a can supporting shelf, a shaking means therefor, and means for connecting and disconnecting the shelf and shaking means at predetermined intervals.

5. In combination, a shelf for the suport of cans, a pair of constantly operated s ak-4 ing members, and means for moving saidl shaking members mto clamping engagementi with and disengagement from said shelf.

6. In combination, a plurality of can sup.- porting shelves, a pair of revoluble shakingv disks, cams disposed on o'ne disk and serving by engagement with the shelf to clampthe latter'between the two disks, and means for revolving said disks.

7. In apparatus' of the class described, a

plurality of su er osed can su ortin shelves, a longitilfdiffally movable psllia'kin shaft, a pair of disks arranged on the shaft at cams carried by lone of saidfdisks and arranged to engage and clamp the shelves at intervals, and means for revolving said shaft.v v 'l 8. In'apparatus ofthe classdescribed, a'

plurality of superposed shelves, a ,longitudi-v nally movable shaking shaft, a pair of disks mounted on Athe shaft, one of said diskshavimg shelf engaging cams, and means ferimparting intermittent' rotative movement to said shaft.

9. In apparatusof the class described a plurality of superposcd shelves, a shaft, disks carried by the shaft, one of said disks. having shelf engaging cams, means'for reciprocating isof the'shaft, and means for imparting a step by step rotative movement thereto.

10. ln apparatus ot' the class described, a retort, a plurality of shelves suspended within the retort, a shaft extending through the end Walls of the retort, a pair of disks carried by the shaft, one of said disks having shelf engaging cams, means for reciprocating the shaft, and means for imparting rotative movement to the shelf.

'11. In apparatus of the class described, a tiltable retort having a plurality of superposed shelves and provided at the top with an en trance opening for the cans,.all of the shelves being spaced from the loading side of the retort, and a movable deiiector plate arranged to extend across the space from the loading side to the next to the lowerinost sheitl to thereby permit loading of' all except the lowermost shelf, said deiiector being adjustaliile to a position to bring its lowei1 edge into alinement with the lowerniost shell', and the space at the loading side having the sanie'capacity as the said lowerinost shelf. j

i2. ln apparatus of theclass .desoibed, a can supporting shelf, and partitions dividing said shell into' aan receiving spaces7 said partitions being of a height approximately equal to half the diameter of the can and being tapered in thickness to permit bulging of the ends ol. the cans.

. ln testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto aii'ixed our signatures in the presence of two tnesses.

NILLAM F.' Pill MORE. DAVID ANDEREGG.

'Witnessesz L. R. PILLMORE, R. A. JONES. 

